Safety car-net.



H. C MATTHEWS.

S AFETY CAR NET. APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. I917.

Patented 00. 9,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. C. MATTHEWS.

SAFETY CAR NET.

APPLICATION EILED MAY 31. 1917.

1 22,3& Patented 001;. 9,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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* T i srars arnnri ric HARRISON c. MATTHEWS, or ABBOTT, TEXAS.

SAFETY CAR-NET.

T whom it may concern. 4 Be it known that LHAnnisoN C. MAT- 'rHEws, acitizen of the United States, residing at Abbott, in the county of Hilland State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSafety Car- 'Nets, and I do hereby declare thejfollowa safetydeviceadapted to be attached to freight cars, the same closing the spacebetween ad acent cars to prevent the passage of a person tothe wheels ofa car should he fall or be thrown from the roof of a car.

A further object of this invention is to provide a guard, which willautomatically adjust itself to the distance between) the cars when thetrain is rounding a curve so that the space between the cars will benormally closed to the trainman.

. A still further object of this'invention is to provide a safety net ofthis character,

which will be simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive inconstruction, and one that can be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and set forthin the claims hereto appended.

Inthe drawings: I

Figure l is a side elevation illustrating the ends of adjacent'carsequipped with my novel safety net, i

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of a car illustrating the safetynet secured thereto,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation to more fully illustrate the manner in whichthe netting is secured to the device,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the attaching plate andtubular member to illustrate the plunger actuating therein,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the outer rail or guard of the safetynet.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ldesignates a box car or able bolts 3 or other extends Patented @ct. a,1917.

Application filed. May 31, 191.7. Serial No. 171,985;

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings. 7

Referring to the drawin s, the numeral 1 freight car of any ordinaryconstruction and to which my improved safety net is adapted to beapplied.

' My improved safety net comprises in its construction, the rectangular"attaching or,

supporting plates 2-, which are secured to theends of the car at aspaced distance apart intermediatethe' ends thereof by suitsuitablefastening means. A cylindrical member 4 is formed 1 integrally with oneface of the plates 2 and horizontally therefrom, and is adapted to havelocated therein, a coiled spring5. The outer open ends of the members 4have bushings 6 fitted therein.

A flexible netting 7 is constructed woven material and secured by itsside edges between the, opposing faces of the cylin drical members 4when the same is secured to one end of a carat a spaced distance apart,thus closing the space between the end of the cars and the outer ends ofthe cylindrical members l, as shown in Fig. 2.

, guard rail 8 rectangular in cross sectlon constructed of suitablemetal has se of any l cured to one face adjacent each end, the

horizontally extending plunger rods 9, which rods 9 are adapted to beslidably arranged in the tubular or cylindrical members 4E, and the rodshave secured adjacent their inner ends, pins 10, which are adapted toabut the. outer ends of the springs 5, so as to permit the] springs tobe moved inwardly when pressure is applied to the front face of the rail8, thereby compensating for and permitting the bar to assume differentangular positions, so that the guard is rendered automaticallyadjustable to accommodate itself to the changes with relation to theadjoining ends of the cars when the cars are traveling upon straight andcurved portions of the track, during which the adjusting motion of theplungers may move to different distances within the cylindrical members4. The springs take up and absorb all shocks and jars, which may besustained by theguard rails 8 and also normally urge the plunger rodsoutwardly in an extended position permitted by the distance between theends of the cars so as to always close the intervening space or'gapforthe prevention of accidents of the character described.

Supporting rings ll'are slidably arranged upon each of the rods9,,and1have. secured thereto,a suitable netting of woven material,designated 12. The side edges-of the netting 12 are secured to the rings11 so that when. the :rods -9 are moved inwardly against the tension ofthey springs, the netting 12 may collapse and be readily extended zwhenthespringst urg therods outwardly in th 1 extended positions again.

It is to be understood that the nettings are to be secured to each endof the car to.

close the gap between the sameand, the adjacent car. It is alsoto be,understood that the device is so secured to the ends of the cars as notto interfere with the operationriof the brakesvjthereof or with, theproper handling of the car;

;,What isclaimed is: l

t 1, In a safety attachment for cars,the combination with a car, platessecured to the car, cylindrical members carried by ,the

plates, sprlngs located in the cylindrical 5 members, a guard rail,plunger rods carried by the guardrail and movablein the cylindricalmembers, springs located, in the cylindrical members and surroundlng.the

plunger rods of the guard r ail,= and ;a net-' ting material secured tothe cylindrical members and plunger rods, as. and for the purposespecified. 1 I

2..In a safety attachment for cars, the

combination Wllll'l a car body, attaching plates secured to the ends ofthe body at a spaced distance apart, cylindrical members formedintegrally with and extending at right angles from. the plates, coiledsprings located inthe cylindrical members, a guard rail, plunger rodssecured to'and; extendingfat'mght' angles from the uard, rail adjacenteach end thereof, said plunger rods slidably arrangedv in thecylindrical mem bers and bearing against the springs, a foraminousmaterial secured to the opposing faces of the cylindrical members,rings, slidably arranged on the rods, and a foraminous copies of thispatent may be obtained for material secured:to the rings, as and for thepurpose specified;

8. In a safety attachment for cars, the

'combinationiwithgia car body, rectangular attaching plates secured tothe ends of the carata spaced distance apart, cylindrical members formedintegrally with and extending at right angles from one-face of theplates, springs located in the cylindrical members, 7

cured to and extending at right angles from one face of the guard railadjacent each end thereof, said plunger ro ds slidably arranged in thecylindrical members and bearing a guard rail, plunger rods seagainst thesprings, saidisprings normally urging the guard crails outwardly tocompensate'v for the intervening. space between the, adjacent car ends,and a' foraminous body. secured between the opposing faces ger rods. 7

4. In ,a safety attachment for cars, the combination with'a b ox car, ofa pair of rectangular attaching plates secured to the ends Of the, boxcar at" a spaced distance apart, cylindrical members secured to and extndlngat right angles from one face of the attaching plates, coiledsprings arranged in the cylindrical members, a foraminous ,body securedby its ends to the opposing faces of the cylindrical members, a guardrail rectangular in :cross section, plunger rods secured 'to one faceofthe guard rail and' extending at right angles therefrom, said plungerof the cylindrical membersand tothe plunrods slidably arranged in thecylindrical members and bearing against the fiire eents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Tatents, Washington, D; G.

